South American middleweight champion, Argentinian rising prospect Lucas “El Tornado” Bastida, destroyed tough puncher Sergio “Checho” López, by a strong technical knock out in the first round, and defended for the first time his crown, at the main event of an exciting boxing night on Friday, at the Microestadio Municipal de Garín, in Garín, Buenos Aires, Argentina, promoted by Argentina Boxing Promotions, of Mario Margossian.
In the co main event of the evening, South American and World Boxing Council (WBC) Latino cruiserweight champion, two-time olympian and unbeaten Argentinian prospect Yamil Peralta, finished Gustavo “El Volcán” Schmitt, by a strong knock out in the fourth round, and defended for the seond time his South American belt.
This was the fourth event of the awaited return of boxing on Argentinian soil since the irruption of the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, and was in charge of the same company that promoted the first three shows of the return, on October 30th and November 13th and 28th, in Luis Guillón, Buenos Aires, as well as the last boxing show in the country pre pandemic, on March 13th in Buenos Aires. It was another show behind closed doors for the public, with the strictest security controls following the health protocols issued by national and municipal health authorities, as well as the Argentinian Boxing Federation.
In an explosive fight, Bastida, 23 years old, from Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, #1 of the Argentinean middleweight ranking but a natural super welterweight, took quickly the iniciative and finished heavily López, 30, from Ezeiza, Buenos Aires. With both coming aggressively from the first bell, they clashed in intense exchanges. But Bastida took the best out of it due to his taller height, the depth and power of his punches. “El Tornado” accelerated and landed a ferocious combination of left and right hooks to the ribs, left hook to the liver and a powerful and devastating right blow to the temple, which with he sent “Checho” to the canvas. Although he tried to stand up, he was still wobbling so the referee Gustavo Tomas stopped the count and unleashed the champion’s joy, when only 1′:43″ of the bout had passed.
With this result, Bastida, who weighed 154.5 lbs., who defeating every opponent in his country -only losing after a cut- including Nicolás Verón, Sergio Paysse, Cristian Zárate, Dominican Félix Vargas, and Ezequiel Romero, defended for the first time the title he conquered after annihilating Gonzalo Chaparro in less than one round on January 11th in Mar del Plata, and came after dominating Marcelo Bzowski by a wide unanimous decision on November 13th in Luis Guillón, moves on to 15 victories (8 KOs) and 1 loss. López, 154.8 lbs., who has beaten important names such as Rodrigo Maizares and Dominican Henrri Polanco and lossed to Javier Maciel and Jonathan Sánchez, remains in 12 victories (9 KOs) and 4 defeats.
In the co main event, South American and WBC Latino cruiserweight champion, two-time olympian and unbeaten Argentinian prospect Yamil Peralta (199.8 lbs. and 8-0, 3 KOs), finished Gustavo “El Volcán” Schmitt (197.3 lbs. and 6-11-1, 1 KO), by a strong knock out in the fourth round, and defended for the seond time his South American belt.
Peralta, 29 years old, from Del Viso, Buenos Aires, Argentinean representative in London 2012 -where he reached quarter finals- and Rio de Janeiro 2016, #1 of the Argentinean cruiserweight ranking and #20 WBC, easily dominated Schmitt, from Florencio Varela, Buenos Aires, #8 of the Argentinean cruiserweight ranking, and ended the bout explosively. After three rounds in total control of the champion, working with his left and right crosses the head and hooks to the ribs, together with his correct footwork, in the fourth he went for more. With confidence, he drilled the body with constant hooks to both sides followed by crosses and uppercuts to the chin, he took the challenger over the ropes and discharged a devastating right cross to the cheek, with which he sent “El Volcán” down, where he heard the ten count by the referee Lucas Katalinich, when the time was 2′:23″ of the chapter.
Beyond the main fights, a heated card completed the night. Two-time olympian and former Argentinian and NABA champion, Alberto “Impacto” Melián (126.6 lbs. and 7-2, 4 KOs), dominated Martín “El Negro” Rocha (125.6 lbs. and 5-6, 1 KO), by a wide unanimous decision after six rounds, and after sending Rocha down in the second chapter. The scorecard were: Jorge Gorini 59-55, Javier Geido 59-54½, and Alejandro Bokser 59-54½.
It was the return to the country for Melián, 30, from Villa Dolores, Córdoba, based in Buenos Aires, Argentinean representative in London 2012 and Rio de Janeiro 2016, former Argentinian and NABA super bantamweight champion, who came after five bouts in the USA, and he widely dominated Rocha, 23, from San Miguel, Buenos Aires.
In another attraction of the evening, in welterweight division, Miguel Scaringi (145.9 lbs. and 6-1, 3 KOs), from Florencio Varela, Buenos Aires, defeated Cristian “Azteca” Ayala (145.3 lbs. and 3-1-1, 1 KO), from Misiones, based in San Miguel, Buenos Aires, by a four rounds split decision. The scorecard were: Jorge Gorini 39-38 for Ayala, Alejandro Bokser 39-37 for Scaringi, and Javier Geido 38½-38 for Scaringi.
Finally, in welterweight division, Leandro “Huracán” Fonseca (146.8 lbs. and 3-0-1, 1 KO), from Buenos Aires, beat previously undefeated Mariano Sandoval (146.2 lbs. and 6-1, 3 KOs), from San Martín, Buenos Aires, by a four rounds majority decision. The scorecard were: Jorge Gorini 38½-38½, Javier Geido 39½-37½, and Alejandro Bokser 39-37.
